Indexing station type machine



Sept. 22, 1936. c. o. GRIDLEY El AL 2,055,436

- INDEX-1N6 STATION TYPE MACHINE Original Filed Ju1.y 16, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEYS.

Sept. 22, 1936. I G. o. GRIDLEY ET AL 2,055,436

. INDEXING STATION TYPE MACHINE Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed July 16, 1931 v A 'ORNEYS.

3 I R m 5 e o- E h T N 5 Ju R S E O 2 4H 1 Sept. 22, 193

G. o. GRIDLEY arm. INDEXING STAT ION TYP LE MACHINE Original Fi l d July 16", 1931 p G. o. GRIDLEY El AL 2,055,436 INDEXING STATION TYPE MACHINE INVENTORS W WQZW ATT NE 5;

Patented Sept. 22, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,055,436 INDEXING STATION 7 TYPE MACHINE George 0. Gridley,

gomery, Berlin,

New Britain, Donald H. Montand Earl H. Wheeler, Hartford,

Conn., assignors, by mesne assignments, to The New Britain Machine Company,

New Britain,

Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Original application this application August 740,780, and in Great 1 12 Claims. (c1. 29-es v spindle carrier 4 and takes the tool thrusts. A

: Our invention relates to an indexing type of machine and more particularly to a type of machine such as a multiple spindle screw machine or chucking machine. This application is a division of application Serial No. 551,136, filed July 16, 1931. In application Serial No. 394,232, filed September 21, 1929, we have disclosed-and broadly claimed an indexable carrier, together with means for supporting the carrier out of bearing supporting engagement with the frame of the machine during indexingand moving the carrier into bearing supporting engagement with the frame between indexing movements of the carrier. The present invention relates to the same generaltype of machine and turret or spindle carrier supporting means.

It is the principal objectof' the present invention to provide improved spindle carrier or turret supporting means in which wear incident to-indexing is practically eliminated and. indexing greatly facilitated, and which is susceptible of embodiment in practically all machines of the V indexing station type.

i In the drawings which show, for illustrative g5 purposes only, a preferred form of the'invention as embodied in a multiple spindle bar or chucking machine-- i Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation of a machine in which the invention may be embodied;

30 Fig. 2 is an enlarged view in front elevation of the-spindle carrier and adjacent parts of the machine shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged substantially centralvertical sectional view of the spindle carrier and 35 adjacent parts and illustrating features of the invention; 1

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially in-the plane of the line 4- 4 of Fig. 3;

-' Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially 40 in the plane of the line 5-5 of Fig 3;

- Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken substantially in the plane of the line 6-6 of Fig. 3, but for the sake of illustration showing spindle carrier supports positioned in-front of the section plane,

45 parts being brokenaway. r

In said drawings, l indicates generally a main frame of a multiple spindle bar machine. The machine may comprise apower case 2 and opposite thereto the spindle carrier end 3 of the 0 machine, A spindle carrier 4is located in the spindle carrier end of the machine and in the form shown is provided with-a stem 5 rotatably secured ma substantial thrust bearing 6 in the power case of the machine, The thrust bearing 55 6"preventsendwise' movement of the stem 5 and tool slide 1 is movable on the stem 5 and may carry end working tools while forming tools may be carried on tool slides 8-9.

The spindle carrier 4 in the form shown carries four rotatable spindles Ill-l0. The spindles are driven by a central drive gear H meshing with individual spindle drive gears l2--l2 and itself driven by a shaft 13 passing through the stem 5 and driven through suitable gearing in the power case. The spindle carrier may be formed in part on a plate 14 secured to the rear thereof and provided with webs l5 carrying an index plate l6 provided with the usual index slots l'l-l'l. An index arm l8 carrying a roll I9 for engagement with the slots 11 for indexing the spindle carrier is driven through spur gears bya cam shaft 20which may in turn be driven through spur gears 2| from the main cam shaft 22 of the machine.

Between indexing movements of the spindle carrier, the latter is rigidly supported from the frame. In the form shown the frame has webs 23-23 which support the spindle carrier. As illustrated, the supporting means for the spindle carrier are in the form of spaced supports 24-24 carried by the webs so as to engage the spindle carrier 'circumferentially and support the same at the front'and rear.

Inorder to securely hold the spindle carrier in bearing supporting engagement with the frame supports 24-24, the spindlecarrier, in the form illustrated, is providedwith four equidistantly spaced locking slots, and the corresponding side 26 of each slot extends preferably radially of the spindle carrier and is adapted to be engaged by a radial surface on the nose 2'! of a locking arm 28 carried by the frame or one of the webs heretofore noted. The locking arm 28 is urged inwardly by a spring 29. The top of the nose 21 is rounded andthe edge of the slot opposite the radial side 26 is inclined as indicated at 3|] so that upon indexing of the carrier in a clockwise direction the camming edge 33 will cam out the lockingarm and permit the nose to ride on the periphery of the carrier until the next succeeding locking; slot comes into position when the nose 21 will snap into the slot. The carrier is also provided with a second set of locking slots to be engaged by a locking arm 3| pivoted to the frame or frame web, as shown particularly in Fig. 6, and urged inwardly by a heavy spring 32. Each corresponding edge 33 of the locking slots for the arm 3l'is inclined and the engaging edge 34 of the nose of theiarm 3| is also inclined so that locking arm 28, urged inwardly by the relatively light spring 29, may be simply cammed out of the locking slot by the indexing carrier, whereas the locking arm 3| being urged inwardly by the very heavy plate spring is movedout of its slots by means of a cam 35 on or driven in synchronism with the index shaft 20. In the position shown in Fig. 6, the cam 35 has just released the lower end of the pivoted locking proper locking slot so as to lock the spindle carrier against rotation. When the spindle carrier is cammed downwardly by the locking arms, as described, it is very forcibly urged into bearing supporting relation with theframe.

In order to maintain the original accuracy of alignment of. the parts by preventing wear on theframe support for the spindle carrier and on.

the spindle carrier itself, we provide for moving theframe support and spindle carrier relatively to each other in a direction. transverse to the axis of indexing so as to separate the same during indexingimovement. By so doing, the spindle carrieris indexed while out of bearing'supporting engagement with the frame supports 2472.6 and the latter serve merely as supports. for the carrier betweenindexes and not as rotating bearings therefor during indexing. In the form shown, we raise the spindle carrier out of bearing supporting engagement with the supports 24-24 by means engaging directly beneath the spindle carrier itself. The, particular'means employed is in the form of a spring saddle comprising the relatively, heavy spring member 38 adjustably held on the frame by means ,of an adjusting screw. 39 as shown particularly in Figs. 3 and 5.. The spring saddle member 38 may carry rollers ill-46 to engage the spindlecarrier about its circumference at the underneath portion thereof, The strength of the spring 38.

and the adjustment thereof by means of the ads,

dusting screw 39 are such that when the spindle carrier is freed by the locking arms 283l, the spindle carrier will be moved up out of bearing supporting engagement with the frame supports 24 ,?2 l and will be supported by the spring saddle construction during indexing. As soon as the spindle carrier has been indexed the locking arm 28 will snap into place, as heretofore described, and the cam 35 will release the locking arm 3!, which, under theinfluence of the heavy spring.32,.will cam the spindle carrier down into bearing supporting. engagement with the frame supports 24-24, the spring saddle device meanwhile. yielding to the superior force of the looking arms.

If desired, ,we may provide means in addition to the, spring saddle device 38-40 for sustaining the spindle carrier during indexing. In the form shown, we employ rollers 4l-42 rotatably secured to the frame and positioned to engage the spindle carrier when it is forced up by the springisaddle device. It may be noted that it is only necessary to move the spindle carrier up a few 'thousandths of an inch or just sufiicient to prevent the spindle carrier from wearing the bearing supports during indexing. The roller 42 arm 3! and the spring,

v32 has forced the nose of the arm 3! into the made within the scope is preferably positioned about diametrically opposite the nose 2! of the locking arm 28 so as to prevent the locking arm 28 which rides circumferentially on the spindle carrier during indexing from forcing the'spindle carrier out of line or toward the left" as viewedin Fig. 5. With the roller device illustrated, the spindle carrier will be substantially anti-frictionally supported during indexing and indexing will thus be greatly V facilitated and in addition the wear of the spindle carrier and of the bearing supports 2424 will be negligible.

While the invention has been described in considerable detail-and as embodied in a bar or chucking machine, it is to be observed that the invention is applicable to other indexing types of machine and that various changes may be of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

We claim: 1. In. a, machine of the character indicated, a

7 frame, an indexable carrier, means acting in a direction transversely of the. axis of indexing of said carrier,- and, positioned beneath said carrier for supporting the latterout of bearing supporting engagementwith, said frame during indexing, movements of said carrier, and means for forcing saidcarrier into bearing supporting engagement with .said frame between indexing movements of ,said carrier. v ..2. In amachinegof the character indicated, a .,fr,ame, an indexable carrier, said frameand carrier beingv movable relatively to each other in a direction transverseto the axis of indexing of said carrierdnto and out of bearing sup porting engagement with each other, means for forcing said frame and carrier into bearing supporting engagement with each other between indexing movements of said carrier, and means extendingbeneath'said carrier for supporting said carrierwhen freed from said frame during indexing movements of said carrier. V

3. In a machine of the character indicated, a frame,arcarrier indexable abouta horizontal axis, means for c.lamping said carrier in bearing sup-; p ing e ea em ntwifihsaid f ame b we n dexing movements of said carrier, and means beneath'said carrier for raising the same transversely of its axisv of indexing and supporting the. same Out of bearing with said.,. lfame during indexing movements of said carrier.

In; a machine of the, character indicated, aframe having spaced apart supporting surfaces thereon,- a spindle carrier mposition to engage and be supported by said supportingsurfaces, means for locking said spindle carrier against said supporting. surfaces, and a resilient device eccentric of, said carrier for moving the latter out of engagement with said supporting surfaces during indexingmovementof said spindle carrier.

5. In amachine ofthe characterindicated, a spindle carrier, :a stem rigidly carriedthereby and supported from said frame against endwise movement, means for I rie own-in eene e ent with .sue t g sur; faces on said frame, and a spring saddle beneath said spindle carrier for raising the latter out of engagement with said supporting surfacesduring indexingmovementof said spindle carrier.

6. In a machine of the character indicated, a generally cylindrical spindle carrier, a frame, and spaced roller means carried by said frame for en a in b n a h t .QY Tn T Surface f and supporting engagement drawing said spindle carf movements, and means for locking said carrier against rotative movement between indexing movements.

7. In a machine of the character indicated, a frame, a spindle carrier, a roller in position to engage said spindle carrier, and a spring pressed roller opposite said first mentioned roller and adapted to force said spindle carrier into enagement with said first mentioned roller whereby during indexing movement said spindle carrier will be supported by said rollers.

-8. In a machine of the character indicated, a frame, a spindle carrier therein, a spring saddle device including rollers for raising and supporting said spindle carrier during indexing movements thereof, and means for drawing said spindle carrier down into engagement with said frame between indexing movements.

9. In a machine of the character indicated, an indexable carrier, supporting means engaging said carrier circumferentially for supporting said carrier during indexing movements of said carrier, supporting means for said carrier between indexing movements of said carrier, and means for moving said carrier and one of said supporting means relatively to each other for the purpose described.

10. In a machine of the character indicated, a. work carrier, means for indexing the same, resilient means to engage the latter circumferentially and resiliently support the same during indexing movement thereof, and means for forcing said carrier into engagement with said frame between indexing movements.

11. In a machine of the character indicated, a work carrier, a resilient saddle carrying rollers positioned beneath said carrier, means for loading said resilient saddle whereby said resilient saddle may resiliently raise said carrier and support the same during indexing movement, and means for drawing said carrier down into engagement with supporting portions of said frame between indexing movements and against the force exerted by said resilient saddle.

12. In a machine of the character indicated, a frame, an indexable carrier, means engaging beneath said carrier for raising and supporting the latter out of bearing supporting engagement with said frame during indexing movements thereof, means on said frame and spaced circumferentially from said supporting means and positioned to locate and sustain said carrier against tipping on said supporting means during indexing, and means for locking said carrier in bearing supporting engagement with said frame between indexing movements of said carrier.

GEORGE O. GRIDLEY. DONALD H. MONTGOMERY. EARL H. WHEELER. 

